The Big Bang: A Larger Baseball Universe Starting From Nothing in 1857

[tm1681]

MASS. BAY STAYS IN 1ST THANKS TO DUKE
RF HAS FIVE HITS & FOUR RBI TO STAY TIED W/ SHAMROCK & DROP CO-LEADERS NIAGARA TO 2ND

BOSTON, MASS. (June 19, 1881) - Massachusetts Bay & Niagara, part of the long-running three-way tie atop the Colonial Conference standings with Shamrock, completed their important three-game series at Oceanside Park in Boston on Sunday afternoon. Thanks to outstanding batsmanship over the 5th-7th, Mass. Bay took the series and retained a share of first place.

Niagara drew first blood in T1 thanks to an Error by Mass. Bay 2B Arthur Fisher, but Fisher began B1 by reaching via Error and that led to a pair of Runs that gave the hosts a 2-1 lead at the end of the opening inning.

That was the score until B5, when Mass. Bay broke the game open with a six-run rally to take an 8-1 lead, the Runs scoring via Triple by Fisher, Double by SS Jonathan Quarles, Singles 1B Gerhardt Berg, RF Kevin Duke, & CF James Johnson, and an Error. Mass. Bay scored four more times in B6 via run-scoring Hits by Berg, Duke, & C Lane Garvin to take a domineering 12-1 lead. The hosts then responded to a pair of Niagara tallies in T7 with another four-run rally that featured another run-scoring Hit from Duke, and with a thirteen-run lead (3-16) the win was in the bag.

Mass. Bay had five multi-hit players on the afternoon, including P Theobold Knapp, but the only one to have more than two was RF Kevin Duke, who finished with five.

• B1: 1-run Single past SS off T. Mukai
• B4: Leadoff single to RCF off T. Mukai
• B5: 1-run Single to RF off T. Mukai (R)
• B6: 1-run Infield Single to SS off T. Mukai (R)
• B7: 1-run Single to LCF off H. Easton (R)
• TOTAL: 5/5 (all 1B), 3 R, 4 RBI – 89 GmSc (B: T-4th)

Duke, a first-time All-Star last year, isn’t having such a good season in 1881, but the performance did raise his Average to .299 (.712 OPS) with 31 Runs & 34 RBI through seven weeks of play.

The big home victory kept Massachusetts Bay in a tie with Bostonian rivals Shamrock atop the Colonial Conference with a 26-16 record. Niagara is now one game back at 25-17. Defending A.P.B.L. champion St. John’s is two games back at 24-18.

[tm1681]

BASALYGA KEY TO ORANGE WIN IN PITTSBURGH
VETERAN BACKUP SHINES IN SPOT DUTY; ORANGE STAYS ONE GAME BEHIND K.C. IN METRO

PITTSBURGH, PENN. (June 21, 1881) - Alleghany & Orange began Week Eight of the A.P.B.L. season by starting their series at Pittsburgh’s Recreation Park on Tuesday afternoon, and the visitors won big thanks to a hit parade against the opponents.

Orange started the game off right, with two Runs in T1 thanks to a Double by CF Robert Basalyga and a Sacrifice Fly. Alleghany made it 2-1 in B1 via Passed Ball, but after that Orange was dominant. They added two more Runs in T3 on Singles by Basalyga and LF John Meier to go ahead 4-1, and two innings later came the key moment: a five-run rally fueled by a two-run Single from Basalyga and a two-run Double from RF Jonathan Cobb that put Orange up 10-1. Two more Runs in T8 made it 12-1, and the win was sealed.

Orange belted a total of 21 Hits against Alleghany pitching, and three of their players had three each, including their Pitcher.

• ORA P Andrew Miller: 3/5 (all 1B), 2 R, 0 RBI, BB
• ORA LF John Meier: 3/6 (3B), 2 R, 1 RBI, 5 TB
• ORA RF Jonathan Cobb: 3/6 (2 2B), 1 R, 3 RBI – 2 OF AST

However, the surprising Player of the Game was CF Robert Basalyga.

• T1: 1-run Double to RCF off W. McMahon (R)
• T2: Single past 2B off W. McMahon
• T3: Single to LCF off W. McMahon
• T5: 2-run Single past 2B off W. McMahon (R)
• T6: Fly Out to LF (2 out)
• T8: 1-run Single to LCF off D. Rodgers (R)
• TOTAL: 5/6 (2B), 3 R, 4 RBI, 6 TB – 85 GmSc (B: 7th)

Basalyga, an eleven-year N.B.B.O. veteran and 2x All-Star who made the jump to the A.P.B.L. to join Orange as a backup Outfielder ahead the 1880 season, was making his first start of the year and made the most of his opportunity while regular CF George Hopp was getting a rest.

As for Orange’s other stars in Pittsburgh, the Win left Miller with a 13-9 record and a 3.34 ERA, Meier exited the game batting .334 (.852 OPS) with 51 Runs, 37 Stolen Bases, and 2.2 WAR (4.6 WAR/90 G) on the season, and Cobb ran his Average to .357 (.880 OPS) with 38 Runs, 36 RBI, and 1.8 WAR (3.8 WAR/90 G) so far in 1881.

The victory kept Orange (26-17) within a game of Kings County for the Metropolitan Conference lead, while the loss kept Alleghany (19-24; 8 GB) in a tie with Newark for sixth place in the Colonial Conference.

[tm1681]

BRIGHTON BESTS LORD BALTIMORE IN BARNBURNER
COASTAL CHAMPIONSHIP COMBATANTS TOTAL 33 RUNS & 41 HITS IN 10-INNING THROWDOWN

BOSTON, MASS. (June 26, 1881) - Bottom four Coastal Championship sides Brighton & Lord Baltimore played the finale of their series on Sunday afternoon at Rogers Park in Boston, and what a finale it was!

The hosts got on the scoreboard first with a Run in B1, but Lord Baltimore countered by scoring the next nine runs over the 2nd-4th, with the big hit during that span a three-run Home Run by P Robert Ray. The eight-run lead (9-1) had Lord Balt. sitting pretty, but Brighton had other ideas.

Brighton took their bats for B4 and hit clubbed Lord Balt. with a ten-run rally, with the capper a three-run Double by C Emmett Gaylord, to take that 9-1 deficit and turn it into an 11-9 lead. But then, after a scoreless fifth inning Lord Balt. hit Brighton over the head with a seven-run rally in T6 that featured a pair of two-run Singles from PH Joe Tillsworth & 1B James Colquitt that put the lead back in the visitors’ hands and brought the score to 16-11. A Brighton score in B6 meant it was 16-12 heading into the late innings.

The seventh inning saw no men cross the plate, and then Brighton made it a 16-13 game in B8. After Lord Balt. stranded a man on 2B in T9, Brighton 2B William Devon hit a run-scoring Single to cut the visitors’ lead to two (16-14) and then Ben Tolbert tied the game at sixteen apiece with a two-out, two-run Single past the Third Baseman.
Lord Balt. maddeningly left men on all three bases in T10, and with two men out in B10 Brighton CF Peter Reeves hit a Single that brought in 1B Enjar Billes to give the hosts a memorable 17-16 home win in front of 1,960 supporters.

The two teams combined to crank out forty Hits over the course of the afternoon, and that meant there were numerous players, including Pitchers, who had fine days at the ballpark:

• LBA P Robert Ray: 2/4 (HR) 2 R, 4 RBI, 5 TB
• LBA 1B James Colquitt: 4/7 (2B), 1 R, 3 RBI, 5 TB
• LBA SS Charles Russell: 3/7 (2B), 2 R, 1 RBI, GIDP, 4 TB – DP
• LBA LF William Simons: 4/7 (all 1B), 3 R, 1 RBI, SB

• BRI C Emmett Gaylord: 4/6 (2B), 3 R, 3 RBI, SAC BUNT, 5 TB – PB, 0/2 CS
• RBI 2B William Devon: 5/6 (all 1B), 2 R, 4 RBI – DP, PotG
• BRI LF Harry Perkins: 3/6 (3B), 3 R, 2 RBI, 5 TB
• BRI CF Peter Reevees: 3/7 (all 1B), 3 R, 1 RBI

Player of the Game Devon’s outing was a stunner, as the 5/6 performance brought his Batting Average all the way up to .194 over 146 Plate Appearances while starting each of Brighton’s 35 games at Second Base. For his career of 3+ seasons, Devon is batting .210 (.543 OPS). A heavy hitter, he ain’t.

The outcome left both teams well under .500. Brighton is 13-22 and tied for seventh place in the Coastal Championship, while Lord Baltimore is 15-20 and alone in sixth. Maryland is the current Coastal leader with a record of 24-11.

[tm1681]

KOONCE CONTINUES HIS WHITE-HOT START
KINGS COUNTY’S STAR 1B RAPS FIVE HITS VS ORANGE TO RAISE AVERAGE ABOVE .450

BROOKLYN, N.Y. (June 26, 1881) - The Metropolitan Conference’s top two teams played the final game of their series on Sunday afternoon, and thanks to a plethora of early runs Kings County was able to avoid a sweep at home vs Orange.

Orange began the game with two Runs in T1 when a run-scoring Triple by SS Walter Carrow was followed up with a one-run Single by 2B Charles Whitehead. The hosts responded immediately with three scores in B1 to take a 3-2 lead, with the big hit a two-run Double by 1B Garfield Koonce. Kings Co. repeated the trick in B2, this time with RF Sig Siemens providing the two-run Hit: a Single to Right-Center Field that put them ahead 6-2.

Orange grabbed a Run in T3 to trim the hosts’ lead to three (3-6), but in B4 Kings Co. put together a five-run rally capped by SS Clarence Anderson’s two-run Double to hoist the lead back up to eight (3-11). With another Run in B5 the hosts were ahead 12-3, and from there the rest of the game was a mere formality.

Siemens had a fine afternoon for the victors…

• KC RF Sigmund Siemens: 3/5 (2B), 1 R, 5 RBI, 4 TB

…but it was the team’s star player and elder statesman, fourteen-year veteran 1B Garfield Koonce, who earned Player of the Game honors with yet another outstanding performance in a season that has been full of them.

• B1: 2-run Double to CF off W. Bertelli (R)
• B2: Single past 2B off W. Bertelli (R)
• B4: Single past 1B off W. Bertelli (R)
• B5: Single to RCF off E. McLean
• B7: 1-run Double to LCF off E. McLean
• TOTAL: 5/5 (2 2B), 3 R, 3 RBI, 7 TB – 3 DP, 82 GmSc (B: T-10th)

Koonce’s 5/5 afternoon gave him an absolutely absurd .462 Batting Average (1.129 OPS, 208 OPS+) through 48 games, with 92 Hits (173 H/90 G), 29 Extra Base Hits (24 2B, 3 3B, 2 HR), 45 Runs (84 R/90 G), 58 RBI (109 RBI/90 G), and 3.1 Batsman WAR (5.8 WAR/90 G). He currently leads the A.P.B.L. Batting Title race by 82 points, and his OPS is 130 points higher than that of any other Batsman. He also leads the league in RBI by nearly ten. The man simply cannot stop hitting.

More importantly, the win pulled Kings County back out of the first-place tie with Orange that yesterday’s loss dropped them into. They are now back atop the Metropolitan Conference with a 30-18 record, while Orange is one game back at 29-19. The next two teams are Excelsior & Knickerbocker, who are both four games behind Kings Co. at 26-22.

[tm1681]

DIXON HELPS PT. JERSEY BEAT TIGER IN SLUGFEST
STAR INFIELDER HAS FIVE HITS AS TEAM CONTINUES COMEBACK FROM POOR START

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. (June 29, 1881) - The Broad Street Diamond hosted the middle game of the series between Tiger Social Club & Port Jersey B.B.C. on Wednesday afternoon, and the resulting encounter was a slugfest.

Pt. Jersey had a 2-1 lead after the opening innings thanks to a pair of Errors by Tiger, but the hosts turned that around with three Runs in B2 on run-scoring Triples by RF George Oman & 2B Griffin Gray, and a run-scoring Single by P Walter Johannessen in B3 gave Tiger a 5-2 lead going into the middle innings.

The visitors scored in T4 on a Double by SS Thomas Ashley to make it a 5-3 game, and then they took a 9-5 lead on a six-run rally in T5 that featured a pair of two-run Doubles by C Harry Thompson & 1B Cleveland Kuiper. Tiger responded immediately, tying the game 9-9 with a four-run rally in B5 in which C Edward Popper & 3B Harold McMichael hit run-scoring Doubles. Pt. Jersey then took the lead right back with three with three Runs in T6, with a Single by Thompson and a two-run Inside the Park Home Run by Ashley giving them a 12-9 lead.

The late innings started with the visitors adding to their lead, scoring three times in T7, the key hit a two-run Home Run by 2B Vincent Dixon, to take a 15-9 lead. Tiger scored twice in B7 and once in B8 to cut the deficit to three (15-12), and in the bottom of the ninth after a Single by LF Howard Boley made it a 15-13 game and put men on 1st & 2nd PH Leland Walker hit into a Double Play, and Pt. Jersey had escaped with the victory.

There were half a dozen Batsmen who recorded three or four Hits at the Broad Street Diamond…

• PtJ C Harry Thompson: 3/5 (2B), 2 R, 4 RBI, 4 TB – PB, 2/4 CS
• PtJ 1B Cleveland Kuiper: 3/4 (2B), 2 R, 2 RBI, SAC BUNT, 4 TB – DP
• PtJ SS Thomas Ashley: 3/5 (2B, HR), 1 R, 3 RBI, 7 TB – DP

• TIG 2B Griffin Gray: 4/5 (2B, 3B), 1 R, 2 RBI, BB, 7 TB – DP
• TIG 3B Harold McMichael: 3/4 (2 2B), 3 R, 1 RBI, BB, 2 SB, 5 TB
• TIG SS Martin Prince: 3/5 (2B), 5 R, 1 RBI, 4 TB – DP

…but one man had five, and that was Pt. Jersey 2B Vincent Dixon.

• T1: 1-run Single past SS off W. Johannessen (R)
• T3: Reached via Base on Balls by W. Johannessen
• T5: Single to LCF off W. Johannessen (R)
• T5: 1-run Single to CF off W. Johannessen
• T7: 2-RUN HOME RUN TO RF off M. Plank
• T9: Double to RCF off W. Gifford
• TOTAL: 5/5 (2B, HR), 3 R, 4 RBI, BB, 9 TB – DP – 99 GmSc (B: 3rd)

Dixon’s performance was the third-best by an A.P.B.L. Batsman this season, and it raised his Average to .388 (.990 OPS) with 29 Extra Base Hits (22 2B, 6 3B, 1 HR), 37 Runs, 34 RBI, and 3.6 Batsman WAR (6.5 WAR/90 G) through 46 games.

The victory left Pt. Jersey 22-28, which isn’t bad considering they were 12-22 roughly two and a half weeks ago. They are tied for last in the Colonial Conference with Alleghany, both teams nine games back of first place. Tiger S.C. is 23-27, alone in fifth place in the Metropolitan Conference and also nine games back of first place.

[tm1681]

TWO FIVE-HIT STARS IN NBBO ON WEDNESDAY
ATLANTIC 2B CRAWFORD & SYRACUSE P WESOLOWSKI RAVAGE OPPOSITION IN DOUBLE-DIGIT WINS

BROOKLYN & SYRACUSE, N.Y. (June 29, 1881) - There was a quartet of five-hit outings across the lower leagues on Wednesday afternoon, and two of them were among the best and most surprising performances of the season in the N.B.B.O.

The first star outing took place in Brooklyn, where Continental & Atlantic began their battle of Brooklyn’s top two teams at Wheat Hill. Atlantic delivered the knockout punch early with an eight-run T2 that propelled them to a ten-run victory.

Four Atlantic players had multiple Hits at Continental, and among the four it was 2B Monroe Crawford whose efforts earned him Player of the Game honors:

• T1: Ground Out to 1B (1 out)
• T2: Single to RCF off H. Shepherd (R)
• T3: 2-RUN HOME RUN TO RF off H. Shepherd
• T5: Single to CF off E. Henry
• T7: 1-run Single to CF off E. Henry
• T9: Infield Single to P off E. Henry (R)
• TOTAL: 5/6 (HR), 3 R, 3 RBI, 8 TB – DP – 83 GmSc (B: 11th)

The result gave Atlantic a little bit of space at the top of the Brooklyn standings, as they are now ahead of Continental by two games and surprising Nassau County by three, with the top seven teams just seven games apart after the opening game of the five-game set.

The other five-hit afternoon, and BY FAR the most surprising of the two, took place in Upstate New York, where Syracuse started scoring in the opening inning against Binghamton and simply never stopped.

Because of a team record TWENTY-TWO ERRORS by Binghamton (NBBO Avg: 5.6 E/G), likely caused by on-off rains that led to delays of nearly an hour over the course of the afternoon, Syracuse needed just sixteen Hits to score the 26 Runs that made up their 24-Run margin of victory at the Salina Street Grounds.

Still, as part of Syracuse’s win one of their players had five Hits, and the man who did it was their Pitcher, Jacob Wesolowski.

• B1: Reached via Error by SS
• B2: 2-run Single to CF off R. Glasser (R)
• B3: Single past 2B off W. Pate
• B4: Single to RCF off W. Pate
• B6: Double to RF off W. Pate (R)
• B7: 1-run Single past 2B off W. Pate (R)
• B8: Sac Bunt to P (1 out)
• TOTAL (B): 5/6 (2B), 3 R, 3 RBI, SAC BUNT, 6 TB – 78 GmSc (B: T-18th)
• TOTAL (P): CG W (8-8, 2.93), 6 HA, 2 R/0 ER, 1 BB, 8 K

Between his batting & pitching, it was one of the most memorable afternoons of Wesolowski’s career.

Jacob Wesolowski isn’t one of those Pitchers that’s also known as an effective Batsman at the bottom of the order. His outburst vs Binghamton raised Wesolowski’s 1881 Average to .229 (.497 OPS) across 80 Plate Appearances, and over his seven-year career his Batting Average is .196 (.442 OPS) with -3.5 Batsman WAR over what amounts to roughly three seasons’ worth of Plate Appearances for a regular Batsman.

The huge win kept Syracuse five games behind leaders Frontier in second place in Upstate New York with a record of 22-14. Meanwhile, Binghamton is in sixth place with a record of 15-21 (12 GB).

[tm1681]

AMERICAN BASEBALL MONTHLY RECAP: JUNE

NORTHEAST U.S.A. (June 30, 1881) – June is about to turn into July, and that means the four competitions have crossed the midway point. Here are how matters stand in the A.P.B.L., N.B.B.O., C.B.C., & P.C.B.L.:

AMERICAN PROFESSIONAL BASEBALL LEAGUE STANDINGS

The conferences equalized a bit during June, although the bottom half of the Colonial Conference remains much stronger than the bottom half of the Metropolitan Conference.

COLONIAL CONFERENCE

And right on cue, here comes St. John’s. They had a conference-best month fueled by excellent pitching, fielding, & baserunning. The remarkable thing: none of their regular Batsmen have an Average over .300, with Joseph Evans leading them at .298.

Massachusetts Bay remains right near the top of the standings thanks to a lineup that has seven Batsmen hitting between .300 & .335, consistency that gives them the chance to take an unlikely pennant. Shamrock fell off a bit last month, but they remain two games back thanks in no small part to Greenhorn 1B George Collier (.347, 1 HR, 42 RBI, 2.2 WAR) batting much better than expected. Niagara had a rough June due to the familiar offensive issues that sprouted back up.

Flour City remains competitive in spite of their weaknesses, with RF Floyd Hoffman (.358, 1 HR, 51 RB), and Greenhorn #1 Steve Breland (15-11, 3.04, 55 K, 4.0 WAR) excelling. If it wasn’t for John Ratican (14-11, 2.51, 75 K, 4.0 WAR) Newark would be in A LOT of trouble. Alleghany again has very little offense. Port Jersey is snakebitten, the first team ever to be in last place at the end of June or later with a positive Run Differential.

METROPOLITAN CONFERENCE

Kings County stormed to 1st with an attack that now leads the league in AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, H, XBH, 2B, & HR. Repeat B.o.t.M. Garfield Koonce had the best first half in A.P.B.L. history, and the front half of their lineup is clobbering the ball.

Orange has maneuvered their way into 2nd with a lineup that has seen stellar work from the All-Star trio of 2B Charles Whitehead (.332, 41 RBI, 1.9 WAR), LF John Meier (.329, 42 SB, 2.5 WAR), & RF Jonathan Cobb (.368, 42 RBI, 2.6 WAR). Excelsior vaulted up to 3rd with an attack that now looks extremely dangerous since Greenhorns Charles Blaise (.324, 33 SB, 3.3 WAR) & Johnny Holcombe (.330, 45 RBI, 2.7 WAR) have adapted to the pro game. Knick is lurking in 4th with a lineup that has been inconsistent but with pitching that remains elite.

Tiger is hovering around .500 thanks to the star INF pairing of Griffin Gray (.321, 29 RBI, 18 SB, 1.6 WAR) & Martin Prince (.341, 34 RBI, +11.4 ZR, 3.3 WAR). Gotham is not at all where they were projected to be after a poor June that sees both halves of their Pitching Duo exit with ERA’s over 4.00. Quaker St. has been significantly hurt by the departures of Ross Gill & Ned Morganti. The bottom has fallen out for American (June: -61 RD), now batting just .238 (.592 OPS) as a team.

A.P.B.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Garfield Koonce (1B, KC)* – .454, 1.132 OPS, 26 R, 49 H, 14 2B, 1 3B, 2 HR, 31 RBI, 5 BB, 2.4 WPA, 1.9 WAR
*Koonce also won B.o.t.M. for May.

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Andrew Miller (ORA) – 9-3, 2.45 ERA, 114.0 IP, 12 CG, 29 K, 14.5 K/BB, 8.4 H/9, 0.95 WHIP, 2.6 WAR, 3.0 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
Johnny Holcombe (2B, EXC) – .374, 1.009 OPS, 23 R, 40 H, 13 2B, 5 3B, 28 RBI, 8 BB, 3 SB, 1.8 WPA, 1.6 WAR

Koonce hit .453/.474/.594 during the opening month of the season and HE DID BETTER THAN THAT IN JUNE, with a slash line of .454/.475/.657. Nobody came close to his June output, and all totaled Koonce had what was easily the best opening half to a season in A.P.B.L., and possibly all of baseball, history.

Of the five nine-Win Pitchers during June Miller had the top overall statistical output. Of particular interest was his total of 29 Strikeouts to just two Bases on Balls over more than 110 innings of work for Orange. Of the other four, Excelsior’s Elmer Seabold, who was 9-4 with a 1.44 ERA and one Shutout, had the best month.

After needing a month to adjust to the highest level of play, Holcombe let loose in June, leading all Greenhorns in OPS by slightly over 200 points and showing the league why he was the second-biggest transfer prize of the winter behind Shamrock C Joseph Sullivan. Flour City #1 Steve Breland (8-5, 2.75 ERA, 22 K, 1.6 WAR) had another fine month with the ball.

A.P.B.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .453 by Garfield Koonce (1B, Kings Co.)
OPS: 1.101 by Garfield Koonce
Home Runs: 3 by Jesse Noss (3B, Flour City)
Runs Batted In: 60 by Garfield Koonce
Runs: 61 by Alfred Williams (3B, Kings Co.)
Stolen Bases: 42 by John Meier (LF, Orange)
Batsman WPA: 4.3 by Garfield Koonce
Batsman WAR: 3.6 by Vincent Dixon (2B, Pt. Jersey)

Wins: 17 by Hugo dos Santos (Kings Co.)
ERA (100+ IP): 2.51 by John Ratican (Newark)
Strikeouts: 91 by Nicholas Banfield (Alleghany)
Complete Games: 23 by Bertram Landreth (Knick)
WHIP (100+ IP): 1.13 by Bertram Landreth & Andrew Miller (Orange)
Pitcher WAR: 5.2 by Howard Burns (St. John’s)
Pitcher rWAR: 5.3 by Willie Gray (Tiger S.C.)

NATIONAL BASE BALL ORGANIZATION REGIONAL LEADERS

NEW YORK LEAGUE

BROOKLYN: Atlantic at 24-13 (Continental & Nassau Co. 3 GB; Bedford & Eckford 6 GB)
NEW YORK CITY: Metropolitan at 25-12 (N.Y.A.C. 1 GB, Hilltop 5 GB, Mutual & Union 6 GB)
UPSTATE N.Y.: Frontier at 27-10 (Syracuse 5 GB; Minuteman 7 GB; Columbia & Utica 8 GB)

BROOKLYN: A steady 13-9 June kept Atlantic atop the standings. However, preseason favorites Continental went 15-7 and placed themselves right back in contention. Nassau Co. (Proj. 24-46) still being just 3 GB after the midway point is a major surprise, as is their top-ten overall offense. Bedford & Eckford are lurking, with Eckford remaining an ever-present danger.

NEW YORK CITY: A 16-6 June that featured the continuing excellence of 1B Zeke Cornaro & CF Francis Smith moved Metro up from 3rd to 1st. N.Y.A.C. is one game back after a 12-10 month, although that is no fault of Charles Rhodes (15-4, 1.92, 94 K, 6.0 WAR). Hilltop, Mutual, & Union remain at arm’s length, all three teams with big strengths but major weaknesses.

UPSTATE N.Y.: Frontier’s 17-5 June, powered by Ed Pelham’s P.o.t.M. effort, has put them in the coachman’s seat. Syracuse fell back because their offense isn’t performing as well as expected. Minuteman’s 10-12 month occurred due to some downright pitiful luck. Utica has fine offense & poor fielding, with Columbia the other way around.

NORTHEASTERN LEAGUE

COASTAL: Maryland at 26-11 (National 3 GB; P.B.C.C. 5 GB; Trenton Utd. 7 GB)
INLAND: Susquehanna at 28-9 (Squirrel Hill 4 GB; Lancastra 6.5 GB; Pioneer & Scranton 9 GB)
NEW ENGLAND: Sons of the Ocean at 24-13 (Quinnipiac 1 GB; Granite, Green Mtn., & Portland 6 GB)

COASTAL: Maryland’s 16-6 June proved their May was no fluke, and they now have 1st place to themselves. National’s attack still isn’t performing as it should, but they remain close due to excellent pitching and the best fielding in the N.E.L. James Burke (B.o.t.M.) and Leroy Moore (.361, 42 RBI, 1.8 WAR) are still belting the ball, but Philadelphia B.C.C. has had some unlucky bounces. As usual, Trenton Utd.’s fielding is keeping them above water.

INLAND: Susquehanna lost their last three games to end June, and that has allowed surprising Squirrel Hill to move to less than five games from first place. Lancastra, as always, is well above .500 and looking dangerous although not likely to catch the Inland rulers. Pioneer (fielding) & Scranton (pitching) are better than break-even but have significant weaknesses.

NEW ENGLAND: Quinnipiac had an 11-10 June, so although they have the #11 offense in the N.B.B.O. Sons of the Ocean is the new leader thanks to the combo of 1B Jesse Craig (.355, 30 RBI, 2.1 WAR) & LF Peter Huff (.360, 20 RBI, 1.3 WAR). Of the trio of 18-19 teams behind the top two, Portland is obviously the most dangerous due to their pennant-winning history.

N.B.B.O. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMEN OF THE MONTH
NYL: Jonathan Toppin (2B, MUT) – .452, 1.078 OPS, 25 R, 42 H, 8 2B, 4 3B, 30 RBI, 3 BB, 8 SB, 2.2 WPA, 1.3 WAR
NEL: James Burke (CF, PBCC) – .394, 1.100 OPS, 35 R, 39 H, 15 XBH, 1 HR, 23 RBI, 14 BB, 20 SB, 1.3 WPA, 1.9 WAR

PITCHERS OF THE MONTH
NYL: Edward Pelham (FRO) – 10-1, 2.10 ERA, 107.1 IP, 9 CG, 1 SHO, 25 K, 2.3 K/BB, 1.17 WHIP, 2.0 WAR, 3.2 rWAR
NEL: Weldon Petrie (SotO) – 10-2, 1.48 ERA, 115.2 IP, 11 CG, 1 SHO, 18 K, 1.1 K/BB, 1.03 WHIP, 1.9 WAR, 4.8 rWAR

GREENHORNS OF THE MONTH
NYL: Jacob Chartier (CF, MAR) – .390, .925 OPS, 26 R, 41 H, 9 XBH, 1 HR, 24 RBI, 4 BB, 10 SB, 2.0 WPA, 1.4 WAR
NEL: John Porretta (2B, SUS)* – .373, 1.007 OPS, 35 R, 38 H, 14 XBH, 1 HR, 32 RBI, 6 BB, 13 SB, 2.3 WPA, 1.7 WAR
*Porretta also won G.o.t.M. for May

N.B.B.O. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .420 by William Kubel (1B, Nassau Co.)
OPS: 1.102 by James Burke (CF, Philadelphia B.C.C.)
Home Runs: 3 by four different Batsmen
Runs Batted In: 65 by Scott Lyons (C, Susquehanna)
Runs: 62 by John Porretta (2B, Susquehanna)
Stolen Bases: 40 by Jack Anastasio (RF, N.Y.A.C.)
Batsman WPA: 3.7 by Lucas LaRose (SS, Granite)
Batsman WAR: 3.1 by John Porretta

Wins: 16 by Edward Pelham (Frontier)
ERA (100+ IP): 1.92 by Charles Rhodes (N.Y.A.C.)
Strikeouts: 94 by Charles Rhodes
Complete Games: 17 by Charles Rhodes
WHIP (100+ IP): 1.07 by Ben Lauppe (National) & Charles Rhodes
Pitcher WAR: 6.0 by Charles Rhodes
Pitcher rWAR: 6.3 by Ben Lauppe

COASTAL BASEBALL CONFERENCE LEADER

Bridgeport at 28-9 (Capitol City 6 GB; Essex Co. 7 GB; Olympic 8 GB)

After the C.B.C. saw a three-way tie to end May, Bridgeport decided they’d had enough of that and ripped off a 17-5 June to take control of the conference. On pace to finish with a Run Differential of close to +300, the leaders are scoring an incredible 1.7 Runs per Game more than any other team, and that makes the odds of them crushing the competition very high.

C.B.C. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Jacob Overfield (3B, BRI) – .411, 1.027 OPS, 35 R, 44 H, 10 2B, 3 3B, 29 RBI, 10 BB, 12 SB, 2.4 WPA, 1.9 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
Edward Koch (BRI) – 10-1, 1.65 ERA, 98.1 IP, 8 CG, 15 K, 1.2 K/BB, 10.6 H/9, 1.30 WHIP, 1.5 WAR, 2.9 rWAR

C.B.C. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .390 by Euan Graham (1B, Bridgeport)
OPS: 1.000 by Euan Graham
Home Runs: 3 by Calvin Masters (SS, Highlander)
Runs Batted In: 49 by Louis Beane (SS, Bridgeport)
Runs: 58 by Jacob Overfield (3B, Bridgeport)
Stolen Bases: 26 by Robert Werstler (CF, Bridgeport)
Batsman WPA: 3.1 by Jacob Overfield
Batsman WAR: 2.3 by Louis Beane & Walter Kirby (LF, Bridgeport)

Wins: 16 by Edward Koch (Bridgeport)
ERA (100+ IP): 1.75 by Edward Koch
Strikeouts: 78 by Erasmus Kelschenbach (Highlander)
Complete Games: 14 by Edward Koch
WHIP (100+ IP): 1.11 by John Baker
Pitcher WAR: 3.8 by Erasmus Kelschenbach
Pitcher rWAR: 4.2 by Edward Koch

PHILADELPHIA CITY BASEBALL LEAGUE LEADERS

EAST: Minerva at 29-8 (Pt. Richmond 7 GB; Frankford & Spartan 10 GB)
WEST: Schuylkill at 23-14 (Overbrook 1 GB; Penn 2 GB; Merion 3 GB; Bartram Vill. 5 GB)

EAST: A brilliant 17-5 June has Minerva, whose Run Differential of +137 is 75 better than any other team, threatening to run away with both the East pennant and the #1 overall record. Their offense has been simply marvelous, leading the league in R/G, AVG, OBP, SLG, OPS, H, XBH, 2B, 3B, BB, & SB – just about everything. Pt. Richmond (Proj. 31-39) still being in 2nd is a big surprise, but their attack (R/G: 4th) has been great. Frankford & Spartan are over .500, but as of right now have little chance.

WEST: Of course, the West is a packed chase. Overbrook has lost their last five games, which let Schuylkill sneak into 1st after winning eight of their last ten. Robert Nygren (13-9, 1.95, 71 K, 4.6 WAR) remains outstanding but Overbrook’s offense (R/G: 14th) is sputtering, while Schuylkill is up to 2nd in Runs per Game (8.3). Penn’s 9-13 June saw them fall to 3rd, but they’ve only played a dozen home games so the schedule is on their side. Merion’s pitching has been great, so they’ll be a handful to keep down. Bartram Village has the 5th-ranked attack, so if they can pitch a little better they’ll move up the standings.

P.C.B.L. MONTHLY AWARDS

BATSMAN OF THE MONTH
Martin Horst (3B, MIN) – .392, 1.041 OPS, 28 R, 38 H, 10 2B, 5 3B, 1 HR, 31 RBI, 2 BB, 1.6 WPA, 1.3 WAR

PITCHER OF THE MONTH
John Mahaffey (BV) – 10-3, 2.55 ERA, 109.1 IP, 10 CG, 3.8 K/BB, 9.0 H/9, 1.11 WHIP, 2.4 WAR, 2.2 rWAR

GREENHORN OF THE MONTH
John Thomas (P, MIN) – 8-1, 2.06 ERA, 83.0 IP, 9 CG, 2.0 K/BB, 7.9 H/9, 1.12 WHIP, 1.4 WAR, 3.0 rWAR

P.C.B.L. STATISTICAL LEADERS

Average: .383 by Charles Ross (SS, Keystone)
OPS: .952 by Harrison Comstock (LF, Schuylkill) & John Smith (RF, Independence)
Home Runs: 2 by four different Batsmen
Runs Batted In: 40 by Martin Horst (3B, Minerva)
Runs: 50 by Jonathan Auriemma (2B, Minerva)
Stolen Bases: 35 by Jonathan Auriemma
Batsman WPA: 3.8 by Harrison Comstock
Batsman WAR: 2.2 by Paul Ward (SS, Frankford)

Wins: 15 by Bud Forster (Minerva)
ERA (100+ IP): 1.95 by Robert Nygren
Strikeouts: 89 by Oliver Greene (Frankford)
Complete Games: 17 by Robert Nygren
WHIP (100+ IP): 1.10 by Robert Nygren
Pitcher WAR: 4.6 by Robert Nygren
Pitcher rWAR: 6.4 by Robert Nygren

[tm1681]

“BIG BAD BILL” HAS HISTORIC DAY VS KINGS CO.
SHAMROCK 3B HAS PAIR OF HOMERS, EIGHT RBI, & FOURTEEN TOTAL BASES IN MASSIVE HOME WIN

BOSTON, MASS. (July 1, 1881) - Shamrock & Kings County are opening July by playing each other at Boston’s South End Grounds, and in the opening game of the series the hosts took last month’s best team and beat the stuffing out of them.

Kings Co. and their league-best attack entered the series opener fresh off a 19-7 July, but Shamrock cared about that not one bit. The hosts scored four times in B1, with a three-run Home Run by 3B William Dickerson the big moment, and a nine-run rally in B2 gave them a 13-0 lead by the end of the second inning. Not content with being ahead by a Baker’s Dozen, Shamrock added four more Runs in B4, a rally capped with a two-run Triple by Dickerson, to raise their lead to 17-0. However, they weren’t done, because two more Runs in B6 on another Dickerson Home Run gave the hosts a NINETEEN TO NOTHING LEAD over the A.P.B.L.’s #1 team.

The last three innings were just an exercise in filling out the scoresheet, and at the end of the game Shamrock had earned an incredible twenty-run home victory the Metropolitan Conference leaders.

There were numerous excellent performances among the Shamrock lineup.

• SHA P Rudolph Aldridge: CG W (16-8, 2.99), 5 HA, 1 R/1 ER, 0 BB, 2 K
• SHA 1B George Collier: 3/5 (3B), 1 R, 1 RBI, 5 TB
• SHA 2B Harold Groves: 2/5 (both 1B), 3 R, 3 RBI
• SHA LF John Bosarge: 3/6 (all 1B), 2 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB
• SHA CF Henry Jost: 3/6 (all 1B), 4 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB

However, one man had a truly historic afternoon, and that was veteran 3B William Dickerson.

• B1: 3-RUN HOME RUN TO RF off B. Svensson
• B2: 1-run Triple to LCF off B. Svensson (R)
• B3: Fly Out to LF (1 out)
• B4: 2-run Triple to LCF off G. Dellenbrant (R)
• B6: 2-RUN HOME RUN TO LF off G. Dellenbrant
• B7: Line Out to 1B (3 out)
• TOTAL: 4/6 (2 3B, 2 HR), 4 R, 8 RBI, 14 TB – 118 GmSc (B: 1st)

Dickerson’s performance against Kings Co. saw him do a number of notable feats. His 14 Total Bases were an A.P.B.L. record. His 118 Game Score was the second highest by a Batsman in A.P.B.L. history, behind only Excelsior SS J.B. Chessman’s 121 vs Newark on June 20th, 1879 (5/7, 2B, HR, 3 R, 9 RBI). Dickerson became the first batsman with two Home Runs in a game at the notoriously tough South End Grounds in the A.P.B.L. era., and he also became the first player in A.P.B.L. history with two Home Runs and two Triples in the same game.

Dickerson’s output left him with a .287 Average (.754 OPS) so far in 1881, with 46 Runs, 19 Extra Base Hits (12 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR), 46 Runs Batten In, 26 Stolen Bases, and 2.7 Batsman WAR (4.4 WAR/90) through seven and a half weeks of play, which makes him likely to make his fifth A.P.B.L. All-Star Game and his seventh top-level All-Star Game overall.

The victory kept Shamrock two games behind Colonial Conference leaders St. John’s with a record of 31-21, while the loss saw Kings County’s lead in the Metropolitan Conference shrink from three games to two over second-place Orange. Also, Kings Co. now has the second-best record in the league at 32-20, with St. John’s the new #1 overall at 33-19.

[tm1681]

EXCELSIOR & ST. JOHN’S STAY RED-HOT, WIN BIG
BOTH TEAMS HAVE WON EIGHT OF TEN; EXCELSIOR CF ARNOLD & ST. JOHN’S LEGEND JENSEN STAR

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. & BOSTON, MASS. (July 5, 1881) - Excelsior & St. John’s are the two hottest teams in the A.P.B.L. right now, and the games the two teams played to open Week Ten saw them continue that blistering form.

Excelsior is starting their week by taking on league co-cellar dwellers Quaker State (17-37, -75 RD), and the visitors began the series by doing the expected and pounding their anemic hosts into submission at the Philadelphia Cricket Grounds.

Quaker St. didn’t offer up much resistance, and because of that several Excelsior Batsmen collected three Hits.

• EXC C Fred Pascarelli: 3/5 (all 1B), 2 R, 2 RBI
• EXC 2B Johnny Holcombe: 3/6 (3B), 3 R, 1 RBI, 5 TB – DP
• EXC LF Troy Oberst: 3/5 (all 1B), 2 R, 1 RBI, BB

However, one Batsman finished with five, and that was CF Henry Arnold.

• T1: 3-run Triple to LCF off A. Stewart (R)
• T2: 1-run Triple to RCF off A. Stewart (R)
• T5: 1-run Single to LCF off A. Stewart (R)
• T6: Single to RF off M. Morrison
• T8: Pop Fly Ou to P (2 out)
• T9: 1-run Single to RCF off M. Morrison
• TOTAL: 5/6 (2 3B), 3 R, 6 RBI, 9 TB – 99 GmSc (B: 4th)

Arnold’s performance was the fourth-best this season by a Batsman, and it marked the first five-hit game of his career, either in the N.B.B.O. or the A.P.B.L. Through 55 games, Arnold is batting .268 (.715 OPS) with 22 Extra Base Hits (16 2B, 5 3B, 1 HR), 37 Runs Batted In, and 1.0 Batsman WAR (1.7/90 G).

The win brought Excelsior’s record to 8-2 over their last ten games, and their season mark of 32-23 has them within a game of Kings County for the Metropolitan Conference lead, which is quite a surprise considering they were picked to go 40-50 and finish 7th by the Writers Pool. Quaker St. is 17-38 and tied for worst record in the league with American.

St. John’s began Week Ten in Boston, where they faced off against Massachusetts Bay at Oceanside Park. What figured to be a close contest between Colonial Conference contenders was anything but, as the visitors used an eleven-run outburst over the 2nd & 3rd innings to guide their way to an extremely lopsided victory.

St. John’s pummeled their hosts with 25 Hits over the course of the afternoon. Several had excellent afternoons…

• StJ 2B Cletus Cannon: 3/7 (2B), 3 R, 2 RBI, SB, 4 TB
• StJ LF Jacob Evans: 4/6 (2 2B), 3 R, 4 RBI, 6 TB
• StJ SUB Alfred Haugh: 3/3 (2B), 2 R, 2 RBI, 3 TB

…but it was that grand old man, legendary 1B Konrad Jensen, who stood above the rest.

• T1: Ground Out to P (1 out)
• T2: Ground Out to 2B (3 out)
• T3: 2-run Triple to LCF off E. Arrington (R)
• T4: 2-run Single to LF off E. Arrington
• T6: Infield Single to 3B off D. Hobbelink
• T8: Infield Single to 3B off D. Hobbelink (R)
• T9: Single to LCF off D. Hobbelink (R)
• TOTAL: 5/7 (3B), 3 R, 4 RBI, 7 TB – 81 GmSc (B: T-15th)

Jensen is currently having his worst season as a Batsman, but his worst season would be an excellent one for almost anyone else. The 5/7 day raised his Average back up to .314 (.801 OPS) with 57 Runs (93/70 G), 47 RBI (77/90 G), 41 Stolen Bases (67/90 G), 3.5 WPA (5.7/90 G), and 2.5 WAR (4.1/90 G).

Like Excelsior, St. John’s has won eight of their last ten games, and their record is now 35-20, #1 overall in the A.P.B.L., three games better than both Mass. Bay and Shamrock atop the Colonial Conference.

[tm1681]

SHAMROCK MATES HAVE FIVE-HIT HAUL VS ALLEGHANY
DICKERSON & ALLEGHANY SPUR BOSTONIANS TO SECOND BIG HOME WIN IN A WEEK

BOSTON, MASS. (July 7, 1881) - Shamrock & Alleghany contested the finale of their three-game set at Boston’s South End Grounds on Thursday afternoon, and as it turned out there wasn’t much of a contest to be had at all.

Things looked good for Alleghany during the first three and a half innings. They opened the game with a Run in T1 on a Sacrifice Fly, and quality pitching by William McMahon kept the hosts off the scoreboard. Then…

Shamrock took the lead (1-2) in B4 on a two-run Double by Greenhorn SS Clive Aylett. The hosts went ahead by two (1-3) in B5 on a run-scoring Single by 3B William Dickerson. In B6, Runs via Error & Sacrifice Fly put Shamrock ahead by four (1-5). After an Alleghany run in T7, the coup de grâce: a ten-run rally in B7 that had a one-run Single by Aylett, two-run Single by RF Walter Braden, one-run Single by P George Burroughs, a run-scoring Error, a one-run Single by Dickerson, a two-run Double by CF Henry Jost, and a two-run Single by Aylett, his second run-scoring base hit of the inning.

With Shamrock now ahead 15-2, the win was guaranteed and they could take it easy in the knowledge that they’d at least keep the pace with Colonial Conference leaders St. John’s.

Shamrock reeled off twenty Hits vs Alleghany, and Dickerson & Aylett finished with five each.

Shamrock 3B William Dickerson:

• B1: Double to RCF off W. McMahon
• B4: Leadoff Infield Single to 3B off W. McMahon (SB, R)
• B5: 1-run Infield Single to 3B off W. McMahon
• B7: Double to RF off W. McMahon (R)
• B7: 1-run Single past SS off B. Casagrande (R)
• B8: Ground Out to 2B (3 out)
• TOTAL: 5/6 (2 2B), 3 R, 2 RBI, SB, 7 TB

Shamrock SS Clive Aylett:

• B2: Double to RF off W. McMahon
• B4: 2-run Double past 1B off W. McMahon
• B6: Single past 2B off W. McMahon (SB, R)
• B7: 1-run Single past 1B off W. McMahon (R)
• B7: 2-run Single to LF off B. Casagrande
• TOTAL: 5/5 (2 2B), 2 R, 5 RBI, SB 7 TB – DP – 89 GmSc (B: T-7th)

Dickerson’s second outstanding performance in a week gave him a .315 Batting Average (.818 OPS) with 51 Runs, 25 Extra Base Hits (18 2B, 5 3B, 2 HR), 50 RBI, 27 Stolen Bases, and 3.1 WAR (4.8/90 G) on the season. Aylett is batting .233 (.653 OPS) with 28 Runs, 35 RBI, and 6 Stolen Bases. He has struggled with the bat, but his patience at the plate (27 BB; 2nd in APBL) suggests today’s effort could be the start of the turnaround to his debut season.

The fourteen-run win, combined with a St. John’s loss, left Shamrock (33-24) three games out of first place and tied with Boston rivals Massachusetts Bay for second in the Colonial Conference. Alleghany, who had been on a tear to make it back to .500, is now alone in fifth place at 28-29 (8 GB).

[tm1681]

DIAL TIES RECORD IN EXTRA INNINGS AT GOTHAM
ORANGE CATCHER EQUALS APBL HIGH MARK OF NINE RBI IN 12-INNING WIN AT ST. GEORGE

NEW YORK CITY (July 13, 1881) - Gotham & Orange played the middle game of their series at the St. George Cricket Grounds on Wednesday, and teams put on a thrilling show for the 3,800+ in attendance that went twelve innings.

The opening innings didn’t hint at a 35-Run slugfest, as a Run each by Orange & Gotham during the opening inning were the only tallies marked during the first three frames.

The game snapped to life in the fourth, with Orange scoring twice in T4 on a Single by C David Dial and Gotham responding with a seven-Run rally, one featuring two-run Doubles by LF William Tillman & 1B Royal Altman, that left the score 8-3 in favor of the hosts after the end of the inning. Orange came straight back at Gotham with five Runs in T5 on a two-run Double by 1B Byron Cross and a 3-run Double by Dial, and it was an 8-8 game at the midway point.

The second half of the contest began with two Runs by Gotham in B5 via Single & Error to take a 10-8 lead, and they went ahead 11-8 on a Home Run by Altman in B6. Then, Orange came up to bat for the lucky seventh and matched Gotham’s earlier seven-run rally with one of their own, the key moments a pair of two-run Hits by PH Walt Larsen & 2B Charles Whitehead, to take the lead back from Gotham (15-11). However, Gotham would plate five Runs in B8, 2B Babe Johnson’s two-run Home Run the big Hit, to force yet another lead change and go ahead 16-15.

Backs to the wall, Orange tied the game (16-16) with one out in T9 on an Infield Single by Whitehead, and after Gotham went down in order it was time for free baseball. The 10th & 11th went by with just one total baserunner, but then Orange plated three in T12 on a three-run Home Run by Dial over the Right Field fence, giving them the away victory at the end of a frantic affair at St. George.

Dial’s Home Run won the game, and that blast put a cap on a historic outing.

• T2: Hit into 3B-2B-1B Double Play (2 out)
• T4: 2-run Single past 2B off A. Ward
• T5: 3-run Double to RCF off A. Ward
• T7: 1-run Single past SS off J. Molnar (R)
• T8: Pop Fly Out to 2B (3 out)
• T10: Single past SS off H. Cundiff
• T12: 3-RUN HOME RUN TO RF off H. Cundiff
• TOTAL: 5/7 (2B, HR), 2 R, 9 RBI, GIDP, 9 TB, GW HR – 1/5 CS – 114 GmSc (B: 2nd)

This was a stunner of an afternoon from Dial, who exited the game a .249 hitter (.590 OPS) over 108 games so far during his two-year career. Dial hit his first career Home Run, had his first game with multiple Extra Base Hits, and tied the A.P.B.L. record for RBI in a game, first set by Excelsior SS J.B. Chessman two years ago.

A performance like from such an unexpected source goes to show just how much Orange has improved since their third-straight last-place finish in 1879, as the win at Gotham has them one game out of first place in the Metropolitan Conference with a 36-26 record. Gotham, which isn’t having the season anticipated of them, is in sixth place at 28-34 (9 GB).

[tm1681]

I find it interesting how, after tinkering with the league totals to match them to the leagues themselves instead of using the old National League of that season as a base, the notable/historic performances have become much more APBL-centric.

[tm1681]

EDWARD DAVIS HITS FOR CYCLE AT BEDFORD
VETERAN SHORTSTOP HAS CAREER DAY ON WED. AFTERNOON AS TEAM WINS BY SEVEN

LONG ISLAND, N.Y. (July 20, 1881) - Bedford & Empire are facing off for Week Eleven of the Brooklyn Championship, and the series opener at the Long Island Cricket Grounds ended up with Empire taking a well-played victory.

Empire scored first on a Sacrifice Fly in T1, but Bedford responded immediately with Runs via two Errors and a Sacrifice Fly of their own to go ahead 3-1 at the end of the opening inning. The third inning saw Empire tie the game (3-3) on Runs via Ground Out and Single by 1B Archie Kopf, and Empire took the lead (6-3) in T5 thanks to another one-run Kopf Single that was followed by a run-scoring Error and a run-scoring Single by P Howard Budd.

The visitors sealed the win during the latter innings. In T7 Runs via Ground Out, Error, and Double by SS Edward Davis put them ahead 9-3, and after a Bedford run in B7 Davis plated their final two Runs on an Inside the Park Home Run to the Left-Center Field gap in T9. The result: a fine seven-run away victory for Empire.

The ninth-inning Home Run by Edward Davis capped an achievement-making day for the veteran Shortstop.

• T1: Single to LCF off C. Randazzo
• T3: Leadoff Triple to RCF off C. Randazzo (R)
• T4: Double past 3B off C. Randazzo
• T6: Ground Out to 2B (1 out)
• T7: 1-run Double to RCF off W. Hall
• T9: TWO-RUN ItP HOME RUN TO LCF off W. Hall
• TOTAL: 5/6 (2 2B, 3B, HR), 2 R, 3 RBI, CYCLE, 12 TB – DP – 86 GmSc (B: 11th)

That Home Run gave Davis the Cycle, the 24th in the history of the National Base Ball Organization. It was also the second Cycle completed in the N.B.B.O. this season, with Squirrel Hill LF Jonathan Mills hitting for one on May 27th in a 22-4 win vs Pioneer (4/4, 3 R, 7 RBI).

Davis, a nine-year veteran and 2x All-Star, has struggled this year, batting just .239 (career: .295) with 21 RBI through 51 games, so today’s accomplishment will lift his spirits.

The victory brought Empire to within a game of .500 at 25-26. They are fifth in the Brooklyn Championship and nine games behind leaders Atlantic. Bedford is alone in third at 27-24, seven games out of first place.

[tm1681]

TWO TEAMS SCORE 20+ IN NEW ENGLAND ON THU.
PORTLAND & QUINNIPIAC LAY THE LUMBER ON THEIR OPPONENTS IN HIGH-SCORING AWAY VICTORIES

MANCHESTER, N.H. & HARTFORD, CONN. (July 21, 1881) - Each one of the four victorious teams in the New England Championship on Thursday scored 10+ Runs (NEL Avg: 7.2 R/G) and twice the winners broke the 20-Run barrier during their fun-filled afternoons.

The first outburst happened in New Hampshire, where Granite B.C. was hosting Portland for the second game of their series at the Kalivas Union Grounds. The visitors started the game well and then hammered Granite over the middle innings to exit with a nineteen-run away win.

Portland began the game with a three-run first capped by a two-run Single from C Joseph Steele. After Granite responded with a Run, Portland added single Runs in the 2nd & 3rd to take a 5-1 lead. In T4, Portland uncorked an eight-run rally in which four Runs scored via Error and the other four came in on a two-run Double by Steele and a two-run Single by CF Cody Harris.

Not content with a 13-3 lead, the visitors then clobbered Granite with six more Runs in T5 from a variety of sources – Hits, Errors, Sacrifice Fly, & Wild Pitch – to take a 19-3 lead. Portland scored three times in both the 6th & 7th to go ahead by an eye watering 22 Runs (25-3) before some late Granite production gave the game its final score of 25-6.
Numerous Portland players had outstanding performances at Granite.

• PORT C Joseph Steele: 3/6 (2B), 3 R, 4 RBI, BB, 4 TB – 3/7 CS
• PORT 1B Charles Brown: 4/5 (all 1B), 2 R, 1 RBI
• PORT SS William Cruise: 4/7 (2B), 5 R, 1 RBI, BB, 5 TB
• PORT LF Buddy Riser: 3/7 (2B), 2 R, 2 RBI, 4 TB – OF AST
• PORT CF Cody Harris: 3/6 (all 1B), 3 R, 4 RBI
• PORT RF John Ruppel: 2/4 (3B), 4 R, 2 RBI, 2 BB, HbP, SAC FLY

The other New England high rollers were regional leaders Quinnipiac, who went to Charter Oak Park for the second game of their series at Oceanic and beat their hosts thanks to a barrage of offense over the second half of the game.

Oceanic actually had a big early lead in this one, as eight Runs over the opening two innings gave the hosts an 8-2 lead before another Run in T3 put them ahead 9-2. After the teams traded Runs in the fourth, Quinnipiac went to work.

The visitors scored five times in T5, the key moment at two-run Single by LF Francis Edwards, to slash Oceanic’s lead to two (8-10). In T6, a three-run rally that featured a two-run Double by Edwards gave them the lead (11-10). After Oceanic scored twice in B6 to take the lead back (11-12), Quinnipiac put up their second five-run rally of the game in T7, with Edwards’ two-run Double the big Hit, to give them the lead (16-12) once again. They sealed the win in T9, with four Runs from a Base on Balls, Passed Ball, Wild Pitch, & Single by C Lamberto Porcatello giving the game it final score of 20-12.

Quinnipiac ended up with an even 20 Runs & 20 Hits, and a number of their Batsmen did damage in Hartford.

• QUI 1B Oisin Hamilton: 4/5 (all 1B), 1 R, 1 RBI, BB – DP
• QUI 2B Charles Taylor: 3/6 (all 1B), 4 R, 1 RBI, 2 SB – DP
• QUI 3B Columbus Young: 3/5 (2B, 3B), 4 R, 2 RBI, HbP, 6 TB – DP
• QUI LF Francis Edwards: 4/6 (2B), 3 R, 5 RBI, 5 TB

The above results, combined with Salem’s 19-4 win at Cantabrigians and Sons of the Ocean’s 12-4 victory at Green Mountain, has the New England pennant race looking a bit interesting through 52 games. Quinnipiac is in the lead at 33-19 and Sons of the Ocean is two games behind at 31-21. Further back is Granite, 25-27 and eight games adrift. Next, there is a four-way tie for fourth place, with Cantabrigians, Green Mtn. Oceanic, & Portland all at 24-28 and nine games back. Finally, Salem is in last place at 23-29 and a full ten games behind the leaders while at the same time having New England’s third-best Run Differential (+37), with a 3-10 record in one-run games doing them in.

[tm1681]

MINERVA WINS YET AGAIN; RECORD NOW 43-10
VICTORY AT SONS OF BEN HAS EAST LEADERS THINKING 76-77 PBCC TEAMS ARE IN THEIR SIGHTS

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. (July 22, 1881) - Sons of Ben & Minerva contested the third game of their P.C.B.L. Week Eleven series on Friday at Ben Franklin Field, and another excellent display by Minerva ran their Winning Streak to five games.

Minerva were the aggressors to begin the game and six times in T1, with 1B Fred Pietrangelo’s two-run Single the key to the rally. Sons of Ben scored twice in B2 via Single & Sacrifice fly, and after the teams traded Runs over the 3rd & 4th it was 7-3 to Minerva.

The visitors increased the lead to six (9-3) in T5 when 3B Martin Horst hit a two-run Single, and the hosts made it a 9-4 game via Error in B5. Minerva went back up by six (10-4) in T6 on a run-scoring Ground Out, and after a scoreless seventh inning they sealed the victory with three Runs in T8 on a Single by Jonathan Auriemma, a Single by SS Archie Bell, and a Double by LF Edward Dobbs. Sons of Ben made a furious attempt at a comeback with a six-run rally in B8, but thanks to Minerva’s work in the top half of the inning their lead stood, and they exited with a three-run win.

Friday’s Player of the Game was veteran Minerva 2B Jonathan Auriemma:

• T1: Single to RF off B. Chase (SB, R)
• T1: 1-run Single to RF off B. Chase
• T3: Single past SS off B. Chase (SB, R)
• T5: Ground Out to SS (2 out)
• T6: Single to RF off C. Roberts
• T8: 1-run Single past SS off C. Roberts
• TOTAL: 5/6 (all 1B), 2 R, 2 RBI, 2 SB – 2 DP

The performances left Auriemma with a .341 Average (.763 OPS) with 76 Runs (100/70 G), 40 RBI, 49 Stolen Bases, and 2.7 WAR (3.6/70 G) so far this season, figures that represent a marvelous turnaround from last year. Auriemma was one of the best Infielders in the P.C.B.L. for each of his first four seasons in the league after signing with Minerva ahead of the 1876 season, but hit such a rut in 1880 (.265, 23 RBI, 1.1 WAR) that he was benched for 26 games. Auriemma has recaptured his previous form, and it has helped propel Minerva to the league’s best record.

The win moved Minerva to 43-10 on the season, giving them a twelve-game cushion atop East Philadelphia with seventeen games remaining, and they also have the #1 overall record by eight games. Minerva is looking so dominant right now that, if their current form holds, they have a chance to match or surpass the 1876 Philadelphia B.C.C. team’s 55-15 record for the best single season by a team in P.C.B.L. history.

The loss left Sons of Ben with a 25-28 record. That isn’t terrible, but since Minerva has been so much better than their competition S.o.B. is now eliminated from postseason contention – 18 GB with seventeen to play.

[tm1681]

HIGHLANDER HAS 24-HIT HAUL IN OLYMPIC WIN
VISITORS SCORE EARLY & OFTEN TO HUMULIATE HOSTS IN NEW JERSEY

PATERSON, N.J. (July 23, 1881) - Olympic & Highlander, two teams in the middle of the C.B.C. pack, played the fourth game of their series at Great Falls Park on Saturday afternoon, and the game was no contest.

This was an old-fashioned beatdown. Highlander scored three times in T1 and once in T2, to take a 4-0 lead, and they responded to an Olympic run in B2 with a six-run rally, featuring three run-scoring Hits, to take a 10-1 lead. After Olympic scored their second run in B4, Highlander hit their hosts with the big inning in T5: eight Runs via a variety of sources including a Single, Wild Pitch, Double, another single, consecutive Errors, a Hit by Pitch, and a Base on Balls. They added four more Runs in T6 and it was a 22-4 game after just six innings. One more run in T9, and Highlander had finished off a nineteen-run laugher.

There was no shortage of Highlander Batsmen who made a good name for themselves.

• HIGH 1B Hiram Trout: 5/6 (all 1B), 3 R, 4 RBI, BB – 2 DP
• HIGH 2B Calvin Masters: 4/6 (2B), 2 R, 2 RBI, BB – DP
• HIGH 3B Edward Welsh: 3/5 (2B), 4 R, 1 RBI, 2 BB, 4 TB – DP
• HIGH SS James Smiddy: 5/7 (al 1B), 3 R, 2 RBI – DP
• HIGH CF Roy Smith: 3/8 (2B), 3 R, 3 RBI

In a losing effort, Olympic C Jesse Renwick hit 4/4 with a pair of Doubles and threw out both Highlander runners who attempted to steal bases.

Highlander exited the game with a 28-25 record that has them alone in fourth place in the C.B.C., 10.5 games behind leaders and likely champions Bridgeport. Olympic is in sixth at 25-29 (14 GB).

[tm1681]

DUKE ASSAULTS AMERICAN WITH FIVE HITS
MASS. BAY RF CRACKS THREE DOUBLES, SCORES FOUR RUNS IN WIN AT GLENWOOD FIELD

PHILADELPHIA, PENN. (July 23, 1881) - American & Massachusetts Bay battled each other on Saturday, and even though American has the A.P.B.L.’s worst record they were able to give their visitors a tough contest before falling just a bit short.

Most of the action took place during the second half of the game. Mass. Bay scored once in T2, American scored once in T3, and the game was even at 1-1 in the middle of the fifth inning. American took the lead in B5 thanks to a Double by 3B Eamonn Todd, and they went ahead 3-1 via Sacrifice Fly. Mass. Bay leveled the score (3-3) in T6 when RF Kevin Duke’s run-scoring Double was followed by a Passed Ball that let 1B Gerhardt Berg run in from Third Base. American took the lead again (3-4) on a Single by LF George Kassabian in B6, but then the visitors took over.

Mass. Bay stepped up to bat for T7 and took the lead (7-4) with a four-run rally, the Runs scoring on a Single by SS Jonathan Quarles, a Double by Duke, and a two-run Single by CF James Johnson. In T9 they added an Insurance Run on a Single by PH Warren Foster, and the win was safe.

Mass. Bay had five men finish with multiple Hits, and the best of the five by a long shot was RF Kevin Duke:

• T2: Leadoff Single to LCF off J. Everhart (SB, R)
• T4: Leadoff Double to RCF off J. Everhard
• T6: 1-run Double to LF off J. Everhart (R)
• T7: 1-run Double to RCF off J. Everhart (R)
• T9: Single past 2B off W. Strickland (R)
• TOTAL: 5/5 (3 2B), 4 R, 2 RBI, SB, 8 TB

The 5/5 game continues Duke’s hot bat in July. He’s hit .360 over twenty games to raise his 1881 Average to .337 (.806 OPS) with 60 Runs, 53 RBI, 13 Stolen Bases, and 2.1 WAR through 71 games, figures very close to the ones that earned him his first All-Star Game appearances last year.

The win kept Mass. Bay alone in second place in the Colonial Conference with a record of 41-30, three games back of leaders St. John’s. On the other hand, American has the A.P.B.L.’s worst record by three games, with a mark of 22-49 (-128 RD).

[tm1681]

GOODMAN BEGUILES GOTHAM; PITCHES NO-HITTER
PT. JERSEY #1 COMPLETES 3RD NO-NO IN APBL HISTORY; HAS WON 7 OF LAST 8 DECISIONS

JERSEY CITY, N.J. (July 23, 1881) - Port Jersey & Gotham met for the middle game of their series at Hoboken & Oakland Park on Saturday afternoon, and the 4,227 in attendance got to witness history as part of a dominant win by the home team.

Visiting Gotham, in a continuation of a season that has been much worse than expected, never had a chance here. Pt. Jersey scored five Runs over the first two innings, with a three-run Double by certain All-Star 2B Vincent Dixon the big moment. Gotham got on the board in T4 thanks to a couple of Errors, but then Pt. Jersey scored four times each in the 5th, 6th, & 7th to take a 17-1 before one final Run in B8 via Wild Pitch gave them an 18-1 victory.

However, it wasn’t the seventeen-run win that was the big story here. Instead, the center of attention was Robert Goodman, who pitched the third No-Hitter in A.P.B.L. history:

• PtJ P Robert Goodman: CG W (16-21, 2.95), NO-HITTER, 1 R/0 ER, 0 BB, 5 K – 90 GmSc (P: 1st)

Goodman’s No-Hitter was the first in the A.P.B.L. since May 27th of last year, when oddly enough Howard Burns of St. John’s no-hit Pt. Jersey while also allowing one Run due to a couple of Errors by fielders.

Goodman was in perfect form throughout, sitting down five Gotham batters via Strikes while walking none, and as mentioned the Run he allowed in the fourth inning occurred due to Errors – Pt. Jersey 3B Samuel Eastman flub of a Ground Ball was followed with a Ground Out that advanced the runner, then a dropped Fly Ball by LF Jaake Romkes allowed him to score.

It has been a strange season for Robert Goodman. On July 7th his record fell to 9-20, but he had a 3.12 ERA and was third in the league in Pitcher WAR. Since then he is 7-1 and has lowered his ERA to 2.95 with 114 Strikeouts and 7.0 Pitcher WAR over 296 innings of work during the 1881 season. Goodman will probably miss the All-Star Game in his first year as Pt. Jersey’s #1 due to his record, but he has salvaged his season.

Pt. Jersey as a team has also salvaged their season. 12-22 at one point, they are new 33-38 and tied for sixth place in the Colonial Conference, eleven games behind leaders St. John’s. Gotham, projected to win roughly 50 games and finish atop the Metropolitan Conference, are themselves in sixth place with a 30-41 record that is fourteen games of the pace.